Carrier module for μ-BGA type device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a carrier module for micro-BGA (μ-BGA) type device which is capable of testing a produced device without damaging to a solder ball thereunder after being rapidly connected to a test socket. A carrier module for a μ-BGA type device according to the present invention comprises: an upper and lower carrier module body formed with protrusions at the upper and lower portions thereof; a device receiving unit inserted to the upper carrier module body for receiving a μ-BGA type device; and a spring secured elastically to the upper and lower protrusions by being inserted thereto.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/559,085,filed Apr. 27, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,751 B1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a carrier module for a μ-BGA typedevice which is capable of testing a produced device without damaging toa solder ball thereunder after being rapidly connected to a test socket.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In general, a produced device by a manufacturing process is fed to atest portion of a handler to be electrically connected a lead of deviceto a connector. Under this state, the device is tested by the tester andas the result of test, only a good device is outputted and a bad deviceis dropped.

A conventional micro-Ball Grid Array (μ-BGA) type device 1 is, as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2, very small its size by around 5×8 mm and is its bottomsurface formed with a ball 2 having 0.3 mm of diameter as a lead. Thepitch between the balls 2 is about 0.5 mm.

The devices having the above constructions are formed with a body 3 by amolding method considering a productivity and is as shown in FIG. 1 cutalong a cutting line 4. Because the dimension of the outline of ball 2is not constant, the difference of that can be allowed to 0.15 mm.

FIG. 3 shows a state that a conventional μ-BGA type device is connectedto a contact pin of socket, and FIG. 4 shows a state that in aconventional contact apparatus, the ball is connected to a contact pin.

After an electronic device 1 served at a customer tray not shown is fedto an align block thereby to be determined a position therefor, thedevice 1 is sucked by a plurality of pickers 5 as a suction meansthereby to be fed toward a socket 6.

At this time, when the ball 2 exposed in the lower direction of thedevice 1 is placed on the straight line to the contact pin 7, picker 5descends toward the socket thereby to be connected the ball 2 to the pin7 of the socket 6. Under this state, when the picker 5 further descendsin the lower direction thereby to press the device 1, the ball 2 ofdevice 1 is electrically contacted to the pin 7 so that an electricalproperty of device can be performed.

However, the conventional test apparatus having the above constructionshas the problems in that because the ball 2 can not correctly contact tothe contact pin 7 when the picker 5 descends, the good device ismisjudged to be the bad device.

That is, the error operation like that can be occurred in case when theball 2 is gone crisscross with the contact pin 7 although the picker 5picks up the right position for the device 1 which the position isdetermined by the align block.

Therefore, misalignment between the ball and the pin owing to the pitchof ball 2 and an incorrect position can be occurred because the picker 5directly holds a plurality of devices 1 thereby to be contacted to thepin 7.

Furthermore, because a test socket formed with a ball groove become thinits thickness and the pitch of ball, not only misalignment is occurredbut also the ball is broken or distorted.

In resent days the test socket has been thinned in its thickness. Thisis because by shortening the distance between the device and the testsocket, the noise or distortion can be reduced to the minimum. In casethe test socket is manufactured to be thin its thickness the chamber ofthe test site should be its thickness thinned.

However, it can not be allowed to manufacture the chamber of test siteto be thinned because an adiabatic effect can not be maintained goingbeyond the predetermined limit. Therefore, if the thickness of chamberof the test site is not thin the test tray provided with the device cannot be easily contacted to the test socket. That is, the test forproperty of the device is not possible and many bad products occuralthough the test is accomplished.

Furthermore, the conventional carrier module maintains the pitch betweenthe balls of the μ-BGA device to be constant, however, the pitch to theball from the cut outline is random thereby to occur many errors.

Accordingly, the ball of μ-BGA device can not be correctly inserted tothe ball groove of test socket and is contacted to the peripheralportions so that the ball of device is broken or distorted thereby toincrease the error rate and to deteriorate a productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been invented to overcome theabove problems and it is an object to provide a carrier module for aμ-BGA type device which is capable of performing precisely the test forproperty thereof in order to be increased a productivity by which a testsocket is correctly contacted to a μ-BGA type device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carrier modulefor a μ-BGA type device in which a high-speed test can be performed byshortening a contact distance between a test socket and a device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a carriermodule for a μ-BGA type device in which an apparatus can be small byminimizing a test socket to be shorten a contact distance between a testsocket and a device.

In order to accomplish the above objects the present invention providesa carrier module for a μ-BGA type device comprising: an upper and lowercarrier module body formed with protrusions at the upper and lowerportions thereof, a device receiving unit inserted to the upper carriermodule body for receiving a μ-BGA type device; and a spring securedelastically to the upper and lower protrusions by being insertedthereto.

The device receiving unit comprises a device receiving portion forreceiving a μ-BGA type device; and a first guide and a second guide forguiding the device to the device receiving portion.

The second guide is provided with a fixing groove for fixing the devicereceiving unit to the carrier module.

The device receiving unit comprises a fixing bolt for being inserted tothe fixing groove of the second guide to be concluded therewith; asilicon rubber for being inserted to the outer portion of the bolt andinserted to the fixing groove of the unit; and a fixing nut for beingcoupled to the bolt.

The fixing nut is inserted with the lower end of the silicon rubberwhich is inserted to the fixing groove of the device receiving unit tobe coupled to the bolt.

The protrusions formed at the upper and lower carrier module bodies areformed to be across.

The spring is inserted between the upper protrusion and the lowerprotrusion to be wound to the upper and lower carrier module body.

The carrier module including an upper and lower carrier module body andwounding its around with the spring is mounted at the test tray providedwith the mounting portion.

The test tray is constructed that the spring installed at the around ofcarrier module is inserted to the protrusions which are formed to besymmetrical to the carrier module mounting portion of the test tray andto move in forward and backward directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of embodiments with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a state that a μ-BGA type device ismolded;

FIG. 2 shows a state before a conventional μ-BGA type device isconnected to a contact pin of a socket;

FIG. 3 shows a state that a conventional μ-BGA type device is connectedto the contact pin of socket;

FIG. 4 shows a state that the ball of device is connected to the contactpin;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a carrier module for μ-BGA type deviceaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a device receiving unit of the carriermodule according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the carrier module according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the test tray mounted with the carrier moduleaccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the test tray when the carrier module ismounted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a carrier module for μ-BGA type deviceaccording to the present invention and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of adevice receiving unit of the carrier module according to the presentinvention.

A carrier module for a μ-BGA type device according to the presentinvention comprising: an upper and lower carrier module body 10 and 28formed with protrusions 22 and 24 at the upper and lower portionsthereof; a device receiving unit 12 for being inserted to the uppercarrier module body 10 for receiving a μ-BGA type device; and a spring26 secured elastically to the upper and lower protrusions 22 and 24 bybeing inserted thereto.

The device receiving unit 12 as shown in FIG. 6 comprises a devicereceiving portion 14 for receiving a μ-BGA type device; and a firstguide and a second guide 32 and 34 for guiding the device to the devicereceiving portion 14.

The second guide 34 is provided with a fixing groove 18 for fixing thedevice receiving unit 12 to the carrier module 102.

The device receiving unit 12 as shown in FIG. 7 comprises a fixing bolt20 for being inserted to the fixing groove 18 of the second guide 34 tobe coupled therewith; a silicon rubber 42 for being inserted to theouter portion of the bolt 20 and inserted to the fixing groove 18 of theunit 12; and a fixing nut 36 for being coupled to the bolt 20.

The fixing nut 36 is inserted with the lower end of the silicon rubber42 which is inserted to the fixing groove 18 of the device receivingunit 12 to be coupled to the bolt 20.

The protrusions 22 and 24 formed at the upper and lower carrier modulebodies 10 and 28 are formed to be across.

The spring 26 is inserted between the upper protrusion 22 and the lowerprotrusion 24 to be wound to the upper and lower carrier module body 10and 28.

The carrier module 102 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 including an upper andlower carrier module body 10 and 28 and wounding its around with thespring 26 is mounted at the test tray 106 provided with the mountingportion.

The test tray 106 is constructed that the spring 26 installed at thearound of carrier module 102 is inserted to the protrusions 22 and 24which are formed to be symmetrical to the carrier module mountingportion of the test tray and to move in forward and backward directions.

More detailed descriptions for the carrier module 102 according to thepresent invention will follows.

The carrier module 102 is at its upper and lower portions formed withthe upper body 10 and the lower body 28. The upper body 10 is at its oneedge formed with the position determining groove 30 for combining withthe position determining pin of the test socket not shown and is at itscentral portion formed with the inserting groove 16 for being insertedthe device receiving unit 12.

The upper protrusions 22 are formed at the left and right portions ofthe upper body 10 of the carrier module 102 to be symmetrical, and thelower protrusions 24 are formed at the left and right portions of thelower body 28 of the carrier module 102. The spring 26 is inserted tothe upper and lower protrusions 22 and 24 and installed at theperipheral surface of the carrier module 102. Furthermore, the insertinggroove 16 is inserted with the device receiving unit 12 which isreceived with the μ-BGA device 100. The μ-BGA device 100 is its frontand back portions secured by the latch 38 installed at the carriermodule 102.

The device receiving unit 12 is formed with the first guide 32 at bothedges thereby to fix the μ-BGA device 100 and at its opposite edgeformed with the second guide 34 which is formed with the fixing groove18.

The fixing groove 18 of second guide 34 is inserted with the fixing nutnot shown. At this time, the nut is coupled with the bolt 20 so that thedevice receiving unit 12 is fixed to the carrier module 102.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the carrier module 102 inserted with theμ-BGA device 100.

The carrier module 102 is received with the μ-BGA device 100. The fixinggroove 18 formed at the carrier module upper and lower body 10 and 28 isinserted with the silicon rubber 42 and at its lower portion insertedwith the nut 36 to be coupled to the bolt 36.

At this time, although the bolt 20 is coupled to the nut 36, the siliconrubber 42 is its lower end inserted to the nut 36 thereby to move inleft, right, forward and backward directions because the silicon rubber42 is elastic.

The μ-BGA device 100 is its one side secured by the latch 38 and thespring 26 is inserted between the protrusions 22 and 24 so that thecarrier module 102 mounted at the test tray not shown moves elasticallyto be coupled to the test socket.

The test tray 106 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, is provided with themounting portions for mounting the carrier module 102 and each mountingportion for the carrier module 102 is at its both side formed with theprotrusions so that the spring installed at the peripheral surface ofthe carrier module 102 is locked thereto.

The produced μ-BGA device 100 is received at the device receiving unit12 of the carrier module thereby to be fixed by the latch 38 and thespring 26 is inserted between the upper protrusion 22 and the lowerprotrusion 24.

The carrier module 102 received with the μ-BGA device 100 is mounted atthe test tray 106 thereby to be fed to the test socket of test site fortesting. At this time, the spring 26, which is inserted to the upper andlower protrusions 22 and 14, is inserted to the protrusion 40.

The carrier module 102 installed at the test tray 106 can be perfectlycontacted to the test socket by an elastic force of the spring 26although the test socket become thin its thickness. Therefore, theapparatus can become small.

In order to be correctly inserted the ball of the μ-BGA device 100 tothe groove of the test socket, the fixing groove 18 of the devicereceiving unit 12 is inserted with the silicon rubber 42 and the lowerend of the silicon rubber 42 is inserted to the nut 36 to be coupled tothe bolt 20. At this time, at the upper portion of the nut 36 a smallgap A is formed so that the device receiving unit 12 can move.Therefore, the ball of the μ-BGA device 100 can be inserted to thegroove of the test socket.

As the foregoing description, the carrier module according to thepresent invention comprises the upper and lower carrier module body 10and 28 and the device receiving unit 12 for being inserted to the upperportion of the upper and lower carrier module body 22 and 24 and cancomply with the trend that the test socket is manufactured to becomethin so that the apparatus can become small.

Furthermore, because the ball of the μ-BGA device 100 can be easilymoved thereby to increase a contact performance and to increase a testefficiency.

As the foregoing description, the present invention can provide acarrier module for a μ-BGA type device which is capable of performingprecisely the test for property thereof in order to be increased aproductivity by which a test socket is correctly contacted to a μ-BGAtype device.

Furthermore, the present invention can provide a carrier module for aμ-BGA type device in which a high-speed test can be performed byshortening a contact distance between a test socket and a device.

Further, the present invention can provide a carrier module for a μ-BGAtype device in which an apparatus can be small by minimizing a testsocket to be shorten a contact distance between a test socket and adevice.

Having described specific preferred embodiment of the invention withreference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood thatvarious changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilledin the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A carrier module for a micro-ball grid array(μ-BGA) type device, comprising: an upper carrier module body; a lowercarrier module body attached to the upper carrier module body; and adevice receiving unit that is movably mounted on the upper carriermodule body and that is configured to hold a μ-BGA device in a mountingposition in the device receiving unit, wherein the device receiving unitcan move relative to the upper carrier module body in a plane thatextends parallel to an upper surface of the upper carrier module bodywhen a μ-BGA device is mounted in the mounting position.
 2. The carriermodule of claim 1, wherein the device receiving unit comprises aplurality of device guides configured to hold a μ-BGA device in themounting position.
 3. The carrier module of claim 1, wherein the devicereceiving unit is mounted on the upper carrier module body with at leastone fastener, and the at least one fastener is surrounded with anelastic material such that the device receiving unit is movable withrespect to the upper carrier module body.
 4. The carrier module of claim3, wherein the fastener comprises a threaded fastener that passesthrough the device receiving unit and that is screwed into receivingthreads on the upper carrier module body, and wherein the elasticmaterial comprises silicon rubber interposed between the threadedfastener and the device receiving unit.
 5. The carrier module of claim1, further comprising at least one latch member mounted on the uppercarrier module body and configured to fix a μ-BGA device in the mountingposition.
 6. The carrier module of claim 5, wherein the latch member isconfigured to contact a top surface portion of a μ-BGA device to fix theμ-BGA device in the mounting position.
 7. The carrier module of claim 1,wherein the mounting unit comprises a mounting wire ie coupled to edgesof the carrier module.
 8. The carrier module of claim 7, wherein themounting wire is configured to be mounted on protrusions of a test tray.9. The carrier module of claim 8, wherein the mounting wire is coupledto the carrier module such that when the mounting wire of the carriermodule is mounted on protrusions on a test tray, the carrier module canmove with respect to the test tray without causing the mounting wire todisengage from the protrusions on the test tray.
 10. The carrier moduleof claim 7, wherein the mounting wire is trapped between protrusions onthe upper carrier module body and protrusions on the lower carriermodule body.
 11. The carrier module of claim 7, wherein the mountingwire comprises a spring.
 12. The carrier module of claim 7, wherein thedevice receiving unit's movement is limited to within a plane defined byan upper surface of the upper carrier module body.
 13. A carrier modulefor a micro-ball grid array (μ-BGA) type device, comprising: a lowercarrier module body comprising a top surface; an upper carrier modulebody comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the uppercarrier module body is attached to the lower carrier module body, andwherein the bottom surface of the upper carrier module body is adjacentto the top surface of the lower carrier module body; and a devicereceiving unit comprising a bottom surface, wherein the device receivingunit is movably attached to the upper carrier module body such that thedevice receiving unit is movable in a plane that extends parallel to thetop surface of the upper carrier module body, and wherein the bottomsurface of the device receiving unit is adjacent to the upper surface ofthe upper carrier module.
 14. The carrier module of claim 13, whereinthe device receiving unit is translatably and rotatably attached to theupper carrier module.
 15. The carrier module of claim 13, wherein amovement of the device receiving unit is constrained to define a planesubstantially parallel to the top surface of the upper carrier modulebody.
 16. The carrier module of claim 13, wherein the device receivingunit comprises a device receiving unit fixing groove, wherein the devicereceiving unit is movably attached to the upper carrier module body witha fixing bolt passing through the device receiving unit fixing grooveand threadably engaging a nut disposed in the upper carrier module body.17. The carrier module of claim 16, further comprising an elasticbushing interposed between the fixing bolt and the device fixing grooveand the upper carrier module.
 18. The carrier module of claim 17,wherein the elastic bushing is interposed between the upper carriermodule and the nut.
 19. The carrier module body of claim 17, wherein theelastic bushing comprises silicon.
 20. The carrier module of claim 13,further comprising a device receiving portion on an upper surface of thedevice receiving unit configured to receive a μ-BGA.
 21. The carriermodule of claim 20, further comprising a latch member pivotably attachedto the upper carrier module body and configured to engage an uppersurface of a μ-BGA type device disposed in the device receiving portion.22. The carrier module of claim 1, further comprising a mounting unitconfigured to couple the carrier module to a test tray.
 23. A carriermodule for a micro-ball grid array (μ-BGA) type device, comprising: alower carrier module body comprising a top surface; an upper carriermodule body comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein theupper carrier module body is attached to the lower carrier module body,and wherein the bottom surface of the upper carrier module body isadjacent to the top surface of the lower carrier module body; and adevice receiving unit comprising a bottom surface, wherein the devicereceiving unit is movably attached to the upper carrier module body,wherein the bottom surface of the device receiving unit is adjacent tothe upper surface of the upper carrier module, wherein the devicereceiving unit comprises a device receiving unit fixing groove, andwherein the device receiving unit is movably attached to the uppercarrier module body with a fixing bolt passing through the devicereceiving unit fixing groove and threadably engaging a nut disposed inthe upper carrier module body.
 24. The carrier module of claim 23,further comprising an elastic bushing interposed between the fixing boltand the device fixing groove and the upper carrier module.
 25. Thecarrier module of claim 24, wherein the elastic bushing is interposedbetween the upper carrier module and the nut.
 26. The carrier module ofclaim 25, wherein the elastic bushing comprises silicon.